


four simple words

by nightswatch



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-02-25 19:47:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2634017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightswatch/pseuds/nightswatch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Grantaire has come up with a rather unconventional way of proposing to Combeferre.</p>
            </blockquote>





	four simple words

Grantaire looked down at Combeferre, who was still fast asleep with his face buried in his pillow. Grantaire smiled faintly at the sight, gave him a kiss and since he didn’t stir, Grantaire thought it safe to slip out of bed.

He grabbed his sketchbook from his bedside table and opened it to take out the post-it note he’d written days ago, carefully sticking it to Combeferre’s forehead.

Now he’d have to wait. Hopefully not for too long.

It wasn’t like Combeferre usually slept in on Saturday morning. Combeferre didn’t seem to need a lot of sleep – maybe that just came with working at a hospital – but it was six in the morning and not even Combeferre got up that early if he didn’t have to.

Grantaire snuck down the hall to the kitchen to make himself some coffee, then he decided to make brownies to keep himself busy, playing with the thought of banging the kitchen cabinets shut really loudly so Combeferre might wake up. He dismissed the thought pretty quickly, though, and made himself another cup of coffee instead.

When Combeferre eventually emerged from their room, Grantaire had eaten three brownies and had migrated to the living room, staring at their bookshelves, hoping he hadn’t made a mistake.

Really, there was nothing for him to worry about. He’d had more than enough time to prepare this while Combeferre had been at work and he’d checked half a dozen times if it really, actually worked out. His only worry should be that Combeferre might–

“I have to say that waking up with a post-it on your face is a pretty strange experience,” Combeferre said as he came walking into the living room, reaching for the book whose name Grantaire had written down on the note. He came over to the couch and sat down next to Grantaire, the book in his lap. “Can I ask what this is about or is it a surprise?”

“It’s a surprise,” Grantaire said, although he was sure that Combeferre would see right through what going on the second he found the first word that Grantaire wanted him to find.

Combeferre smiled and opened the book. “Alright, then,” he mumbled and looked down at the post-it that Grantaire had given to him, quickly turning to the right page, where another note was already waiting for him. He hummed and took it, then he looked for the line and word that Grantaire had instructed him to find. “Will?” Combeferre asked.

“Yeah,” Grantaire said, nodding slowly. “Do you want to write it down?”

Combeferre smirked at him and there was no doubt that he’d already figured out where this was going. “I think I’ll be able to remember it,” Combeferre mused and handed the first book to Grantaire before he stood up and went to get the next one.

He found it quickly and started leafing through the pages, smiling when he found the next word and together with it the post-it that was going to lead him to the next one. “You,” Combeferre said quietly, flashing Grantaire a smile before he moved on to the next book.

All the while, Grantaire resisted the urge to jump up and peer over Combeferre’s shoulder and did his best to sit still although he really only barely managed.

Combeferre didn’t read out the _marry_ when he found it, just smiled to himself and reached for the last book. It took him mere seconds to turn to the page with the _me_ on it, grinning at Grantaire before he started leafing through the book again.

Grantaire wasn’t quite sure what Combeferre was looking for, but it was definitely making him even more nervous than he already was because even though he was pretty sure that he already knew the answer Combeferre was going to give him, Grantaire still needed to hear it out loud. Preferably soon.

He was just about to ask Combeferre what he was doing when he looked up. “Just let me find a _yes_ in here,” he said and kept turning page after page.

Grantaire laughed and joined him by the bookshelves, wrapping his arms around Combeferre from behind as he waited.

“Combeferre, you can just say it…” Grantaire muttered after a while. “I swear I’ll take it as an answer.”

“Patience,” Combeferre only said and kept searching.

But Grantaire really wasn’t in the mood for being patient right now, so he let go of Combeferre and snatched one of their dictionaries off the shelf. This one was French/English and Grantaire honestly didn’t care in which language Combeferre agreed to marry him, so he shoved it into Combeferre’s hands. “Here, use this one instead.”

Combeferre laughed and flipped the book open, holding up the page with the _oui – yes_ for Grantaire a moment later. “I love you,” Combeferre said, “that’s probably in here too somewhere.”

Grantaire pulled Combeferre into a kiss before he could come up with the idea of actually looking for it. “I love you, too,” Grantaire whispered when he pulled away. He took the books Combeferre was still holding and pointed at the shelves. “Now you just have to find the ring.”

“Find the ring?” Combeferre asked, raising his eyebrows.

Grantaire nodded. “Yeah, it’s behind a book.”

“And I have to guess?”

“It’s actually pretty obvious,” Grantaire said. At least to him it had seemed like the obvious choice. And not just because it was a little funny.

Combeferre must have seen his lips twitch, because he started moving immediately, his fingers trailing along the spines of the books he passed. Grantaire was sure that if Combeferre hadn’t decided to become a doctor, he would have become a librarian.

Eventually Combeferre stopped at the very last shelf by the window and took out Grantaire’s copies of _The Lord of the Rings_ , reaching behind them to get the little box with the ring in it.

“Told you it was easy,” Grantaire said. They’d watched the movies on their first date, although it hadn’t been their official first date, they still celebrated their anniversary on that day. He winked at Combeferre as he returned to him with the box.  Grantaire tapped against it. “So, shall we do it again the traditional way?”

“No,” Combeferre said, smiling happily as he opened the box, “this was much better anyway. But you can…” Combeferre handed the box to him. “If you want.”

Grantaire didn’t go down on his knees, honestly, he’d sent Combeferre on a scavenger hunt through their books, no one could say that he wasn’t dedicated. He felt strangely calm as he slid the ring onto Combeferre’s finger and it wasn’t scary and, much like on a birthday, nothing actually felt different afterwards, but he knew that he’d spend the rest of the day, or maybe the rest of the week, or who knows how long, walking around with a smile on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> I stole the title from Frank Turner, although his song is about something totally different.


End file.
